Verified Buyer
Reviewed by The One Atop That Vista from California on Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Picked these guys up for a week long trip to Zion, the Grand Canyon and several stops in between and so far, they have certainly withstood the tests. Did not feel super heavy after a day's worth of trekking; did a great job of keeping me gripped to rock faces as I climbed; the higher ankle worked great against keeping rocks and whatnot out of them; and the lacing/tongue design made it easy to slip them off and on without having to unlace the entire boot. Also, I replaced the insoles with an older pair I already had, so no thoughts on those that come with the boots. The only thing I'm not thrilled about is I wish I would have gotten a size smaller than my actual shoe size, as there is just a little extra room. Overall, great boot. Now to see how that stand the test of time.

I am extremely disappointed with these boots. I wore them around the yard for 15-20 minutes and ended up with large blisters on both heels. There is only a thin piece of cloth covering the heel stifffener and there is stitching that crosses right across the center of the back of the heel. I have had two other pair of Merrell boot and never had this problem. Doubt whether I'll be able to use these again. Happy with Sierra Trading Post, unhappy with the Merrell Boots.

Look great! I've always been pleased with prior Merrell shoes I've had, expect these will live up to the reputation.
Uppers are soft and flexible, but front toe joint is a little stiff at first, needs some breaking-in.
Insoles are a little flat, not form-fitting and cushy. They're removable if you want something else. I won't downgrade my rating for that, since any manufacturer can add more foam to make it initially feel better....A well made boot doesn't need a lot of foam, the true test is how they last.
Another reviewer said these were too big. I'm usually 10-1/2, sometimes 11, and these 10-1/2 do give me some toe room, which I like. I'd say these are fairly true to size.
Only 4 stars since they aren't time tested...ask me again in a year!